Forever disfigured by a wide, mirthless grin on his face, Gwynplaine, the orphaned son of a nobleman, rescues blind baby girl Dea in cold 17th-century England. Taken in by paternal carnival philosopher Ursus, the unloved boy grows into a kind, honest man who chooses to hide his grotesque deformity behind a black cloak, utterly convinced that beautiful Dea will never truly love him because of his horrible secret. Feeling unworthy of Dea's noble feelings, Gwynplaine soon crosses paths with aristocratic temptress Duchess Josiana, as a cruel and long-standing conspiracy in the palace of Queen Anne presents him with the burden of choice. Will poor Gwynplaine, the Man who Laughs, renounce everything in the name of love?—Nick Riganas